Without A Name
by 1Yui
Summary: Danzou found out about Sai's inadherence to Root's principles and has taken drastic measures to bring back his asset the way he was. Canon fan-fic, takes place after Inheritors of the Will of Fire.
1. Part 1 Prologue

Note: Story setting happens some time between Inheritors of the Will of Fire and Jiraiya's death.

_**"In Root, you have no name. You have no feelings. You have no past. You have no future. All that exists is the mission. The unseen ones who support the great tree of Konoha from the depths of the earth."**_

_**Naruto Ch.285 P.11-12 © Kishimoto Masashi**_

**~1~**

Sai opened his eyes. A bare ceiling greeted him. He turned his face toward the left and gauged the wall to be less than a meter and a half away from the low bed he was lying on. Moonlight shone through the narrow rectangular window with thick iron grills that sat horizontally high on the wall above his head. It provided a faint source of light to this otherwise unlit room.

He figured the room was 5 meters long with the door located at the farthest end. The door's edges were encased in black iron. Was he in a prison cell? He slowly lifted himself up and sat as he surveyed the unfamiliar surroundings. He did not feel any fear; it was either he was trained well enough in case of capture or his head was hurting too much at the moment to consider danger. He was never one to react too emotively in either case. In fact, he did not tend to show emotion at all under any condition.

There was a dark brown wooden desk on the opposite side near the foot of the bed where a narrow flexible lamp stood. Ninja scrolls were neatly stacked on top along with a bottle of ink and a couple of brushes. If he was indeed being held prisoner, why was he provided his trademark ninjutsu equipment? He decided to sit still for a little while longer and waited for the throbbing in his head to subside. How did he end up here?

Click. Clack. The door opened and a masked Anbu entered-a Konoha Anbu, or at least, he had the features that looked like an Anbu from his own village, specifically from his own unit Root. "Is this a trick?" he wondered. The man standing before him could be a clone.

"Do you know who you are?" the Anbu asked, not threateningly.

"Yes."

"What is your name?"

"I have no name."

This was true, as far as he believed. He was assigned temporary names on certain missions but he never had a permanent given name as far as he remembered. He was just a regular Anbu shinobi under the *Root Foundation, working in the shadows to protect Konoha by the authority and guidance of the great Danzo-sama.^ Unlike regular Anbu with real names, Root's black operatives had none.

"Your last mission failed," the Anbu explained. "You were found unconscious somewhere in the outskirts of Konohagakuren some time last week."

"I see," he murmured still suspicious of this masked shinobi by the desk. A failed mission, he hardly had any of those. But if he's sitting here with no idea where he was nor any memory of what happened, then there was no doubt he failed. Why he was still alive was a mystery.

"How are you feeling?" the Anbu asked. He was a little surprised by the question. An Anbu, and certainly a Root Anbu is never asked how he feels. He grew more suspicious.

"Fine," he answered.

"Good, Danzo-sama will summon you once he arrives. Get more rest until then." With this, the shinobi turned toward the door and closed it behind him. A click and a clack.

Danzo-sama? Then he really wasn't a prisoner, though he had a feeling the door was locked after the masked shinobi just now. Meeting the great master didn't give him any relief at all, however. It would surely involve getting an earful for failing in his task. After which, he would get passed on to a committee for a debriefing session about the same failed mission, which, at that moment, he still had no memory of.

His gaze went down toward his wrists resting on his legs and he felt a cold sweat run through his forehead. Fear overcame him like he had never felt before; a memory of something and yet, of nothing.

**Continue to Part 2**


	2. Part 2 to 3 Mystery

**~2~**

Inside Ichiraku, the ramen shop, Uzumaki Naruto met up with teammate Haruno Sakura and friends from Team 10 Nara Shikamaru and Akimichi Chouji.

"Any word?" Naruto asked. Shikamaru shook his head. "My dad said he'll look into it. But it's not easy when even the Hokage has no control on what's going on inside Root. Danzo-san's been given complete authority almost at the same time Sandaime (the Third) became Hokage. The elders certainly aren't any help."

Everyone understood the difficulty of the situation. "Kakashi-sensei also promised he'll do what he can," Sakura said with little confidence.

Naruto furrowed his brow. "There's something very wrong. Sai wouldn't just leave without even saying a simple goodbye."

"There's no way to know," Shikamaru replied.

"Huh?" Naruto asked.

Sakura and Chouji turned their gaze toward Shikamaru who bowed his head and expressed his thoughts. "Sai never really revealed anything much about himself even as a member of your team, did he?"

"That's true," Sakura said slowly. Chouji nodded.

"For all we know, his time spent as a regular shinobi was just a mission assigned to him to keep track of you, Naruto, a jinchuuriki," Shikamaru said.

Everyone was silent. It's true; Sai spent about a year with them beginning at the time when *they first got intel on one of Orochimaru's hide-outs. Sakura and Naruto were hoping to track down Uchiha Sasuke, a rogue ninja whom Naruto and Sakura still considered a close friend and teammate.

Sai was assigned as a replacement member of Team 7 at the insistence of Shimura Danzo, the mysterious and influential founder of Root, which was a special branch of Konoha's Black Operative Ninja unit. It was found out during that mission that Sai was secretly instructed to assassinate Sasuke whom Danzo identified as an open threat. But at some point, Sai changed his mind and decided to help bring Sasuke back to the village instead. However, they returned empty-handed after Sasuke violently refused and disappeared again to continue his dangerous training under Orochimaru's influence. Sai surprisingly remained a member of Team 7 even after that initial mission was over.

Since then he worked with them in various other missions, often risking his own life just like everyone else did. In idle moments, he was often seen reading a book, usually about understanding a person's character or feelings. Apparently, he was trained to repress his emotions, so much so that he appeared to have forgotten how to have them.^ He seemed to genuinely want to regain that knowledge, even if it was somewhat laughable to those who had a little less stringent type of upbringing.

Was it all an act? He just disappeared one day without a word. Naruto, Sakura and a few other people who knew him were informed that he had been summoned back into Root. Was that it? Could Sai go back to underground operations just as easily as when he first came out?

"You don't believe that," Naruto said firmly as he looked Shikamaru in the eye. Shikamaru returned his gaze and said, "No, I don't." The four young ninjas sat there in silence with a firmer resolve. They're going to find another missing friend. "It'll be troublesome," Shikamaru thought. "But we have to do it."

**~3~**

Two weeks previously.

"It's confirmed. He's no longer loyal to Root's principles, Danzo-sama."

"I thought as much."

"What is your command, sir?"

Danzo thought for a moment. Sai had been very useful to him for a long time, at least until he was assigned to Hatake Kakashi's team. The fact that the young shinobi was able to deceive him for that long impressed him.

"I can choose to let him remain where he is," Danzo started. "But letting Godaime (5th Hokage) use him on regular missions is a waste of his true abilities. I take responsibility for letting him get heavily tainted with the third Hokage's principles just like the other children of the village have been. There's no choice but to bring him back."

To himself he thought, "He would have stayed obedient if he did not get associated with the jinchuuriki and his sensei. All the training I've invested in him will go to waste if I let him remain like this." Finally he said aloud "I had hoped that someone from his generation would continue onto the right path and protect the Fire country from all possible dangers."

After a moment's pondering, Danzo gave his command. "Bring him to me."

"Yes, Sir," came the quick reply.

"Wait, do it after five days. For now, I will need to arrange a meeting with Ikioku of the Owl country.

"Understood." A bow and the shinobi disappeared.

Four days later, a dark figure was led by another masked shinobi late in the night to a secret underground entrance into the village that only those at the higher echelon in Root were aware of.

"Danzo-sama, you have no idea how delighted I was to receive your invitation," the dark figure said as he entered Danzo's chamber. He lifted his ebony cloak to reveal a shriveled longish face, small deep set purple eyes, an almost non-existent stub of a nose and a wide grin. His long straight hair was gray like his arched bushy eyebrows.

"Ikioku-san, thank you for coming on such short notice; I have great need of your services," was Danzo's very formal reply.

"I will do my best not to disappoint you, Danzo-sama."

"Is the forbidden jutsu of the Ikioku clan of the Owl country still as effective as when I last witnessed it many years ago?"

"We have made some improvements since but I will have to examine the extent of the damage before I make extravagant claims, I'm sure you understand."

"Very well. I will have someone escort you to a guest chamber until that time. You can relay everything you need to him in preparation for your work."

Ikioku bowed. A shinobi appeared and led him away.

**Continue to Part 4**


	3. Part 4 to 5 Mission

**~4~**

Sai had lived in his apartment for about a year since he was assigned as a member of Team 7. It took a while to get used to staying in such an open space. Many would still consider it humble by ordinary standards but he slept in a more constricted room than this even when he was still training with Root as a child. He had started to like this extra freedom of movement now.

He didn't have many personal belongings. He hung some of his drawings on the wall in an even and systematic manner one would think they were displayed on the walls of a corporate hallway. Sakura, Ino and even Kakashi-sensei had given him books to read from time to time and he even purchased some on his own such that he was able to amass a bit of volume which he stacked neatly on a shelf. He generally kept things in proper order as a force of habit.

He visited Naruto's apartment once or twice and the mess was interesting to him. He tried sprawling used clothing and cups of ramen on his own floor but he didn't quite understand the point of it so he folded the clothes again and threw the trash in the dustbin. Whenever he's not on a mission, he kept the picture book he drew of himself and his deceased brother under his mattress. He would leaf through it before he went to sleep.

Three hours before sunrise- it should be another hour before he must wake up but Sai rose up from his bed when he sensed something alien inside his apartment. The sight of a shinobi from Root did not surprise him. One would come at any give time to relay instructions from Danzo-sama.

At times when a report was demanded of him, he always had information prepared on the movements of Uzumaki Naruto, the jinchuuriki. Naruto had gotten in various kinds of trouble by himself and at times, with him in tow, but nothing that would ultimately endanger the safety of the village, or so he assured in his reports.

*Naruto had been targeted by the notorious Akatsuki organization and Danzo would want nothing better than to confine the boy within the safety of the village. After all, this hyper-active ninja was also the human container of Konoha's weapon of mass-destruction, the nine-tailed fox. But to Danzo's chagrin, Tsunade, the current and fifth Hokage, let him loose on missions^ that Danzo felt other ninjas could easily fulfill. So Sai was assigned, in part, to protect Naruto and at the same time monitor his actions to prevent him from doing anything reckless, especially when it came to Uchiha Sasuke.

Sai was fully aware that he had been disobeying Danzo on this end. He did not only let Naruto continue to gather information about Sasuke, he even helped whenever he was able while making sure their tracks were covered from the peering eyes of Danzo's loyalists. Why was he doing it? He had asked himself that same question.

He witnessed a beautiful thing *when Naruto demonstrated his determination in bringing back Sasuke on their first mission together. Despite experiencing direct betrayal, Naruto remained loyal to someone he considered a friend; to someone he formed what he described as a life-long bond.^

Was it the artist in him that made Sai vulnerable to such fierce expressions of love and loyalty? He could not really pin-point anything specific as a reason. The question of why he was disobeying a direct order despite his strict training remained just a question to him with no clear answers.

He settled on a simple conclusion that he would not admit to be insufficient. He was just curious. He wanted to see how Naruto's struggle would play out. He did not consider that perhaps it's because he, just like any other shinobi of every nation, despite being trained to repress his emotions, was also human after all.

**~5~**

Sai found himself on one knee bowing to his master, just as he had done on many occasions in the past. The shinobi that visited his room informed him that he was being summoned and of course, he must immediately obey.

"You are to return to Root to perform black op missions just as you have done before," Danzo addressed his subordinate.

Sai did not expect this in the least but his blank expression did not change even as he kept his head bowed. He knew he had no say in the matter. More than a year ago, it would not have made any difference but somehow his heart ached at this development. He was to leave everything he grew to love behind and go back to the world he started from.

He hesitated for a moment but then a soft "Hai," was his only reply. Danzo did not fail to notice this slight evidence of hesitation to confirm that this young shinobi was lost to him. He was left with no other option but to get rid of the filth that had accumulated because of a wrong decision he made a year previous.

"Lift your head," Danzo ordered. The young shinobi obeyed, trying to consider if he should make an appeal to his master to let him stay where he was for a little while longer. *He once boldly asked to keep the name Sai after his first mission with Naruto. Danzo-sama graciously granted that request.^ Was there a possibility that he would be just as gracious this time?

But as he lifted his head to face his master, two invisible chakra wires came out of nowhere from both sides and wrapped themselves around Sai's wrists. His arms were pulled forcefully and fast until they were stretched from opposite ends. Both his knees touched the ground. He did not utter a word but kept his gaze at his master despite the stinging pull of the strings. It finally dawned on him - his disobedience had been found out. He felt the wires tighten and a seething pain ran through his wrist and across both his arms and throughout his body.

"Why did you betray me?"

Sai did not know how to reply. He was taught all possible courses of action if ever he was captured by the enemy, whoever that enemy was, but there was never any training on what to do if he was questioned by Root's founder himself. The wires tightened further and he felt it go deeper into the skin that attached his hands to his wrists.

"Sai, you like that name, don't you?" Danzo continued. Sai felt the strings tighten.

"But it's not your name. You have no name. You are a part of the roots that span wide under a precious tree which is the Fire country, acting as a foundation that keeps that tree secure in its place no matter what storm or calamity may pass."

Sai could only remain silent. What could he say? His master could be right. He was trained as a Root shinobi; he had no business in the affairs above ground where the tree's body exists, where its leaves spread in the air and sway in the wind. Blood oozed from where the wires were cutting through his skin.

"Why the silence?" Danzo asked. "Does not your country deserve an apology for your misdeed?"

"My deepest apologies, Danzo-sama," Sai said slowly through gritted teeth as he fought the pain.

"There is no forgiveness without atonement, young shinobi," Danzo declared. "Do you wish to be forgiven?"

"Hai," was Sai's quick reply. He was prepared to do anything now. He will not die a traitor to his country. He will return to Root and perform black op missions outside Konoha just as he had done before he became a member of Team 7.

"Well then," Danzo began. "Your next mission will be to eliminate Uzumaki Naruto."

**Continue to Part 6**

Author's note: I decided to use "Hai" instead of "Yes" or "Yes, Sir" because "Hai" has a more reverential tone to it.


	4. Part 6 to 7 Memories

**~6~**

Sai struggled to keep his head clear. He could not have heard right. Eliminate Naruto? Kill him? "But didn't you want Naruto protected, Danzo-sama? He is a jinchuuriki, the country's ultimate weapon," he said, in an attempt to opt out discreetly from this unbelievable mission.

But Danzo was quick to read his intention. "The jinchuuriki is no longer valuable to the safety of the country," he replied. "In fact, he has proven to be the opposite. Konoha had been attacked on various occasions because he exists. With him gone, the village will be safer. The Foundation can then concentrate on other and more effective means to protect the village and the country."

Sai kept silent. He wished he did not know who Naruto was. He used to be handed a sheet of paper with a face and a name unfamiliar to him. Or someone would get identified within the bingo book and be marked as his next target. He never once cared to know who they were, if they were bad or good, if they had families, or if they had friends. He only knew they were a threat to the country and must be terminated. This time, it was someone he knew and knew to be a good person with the same noble interest that everyone in the village, including the great Danzo-sama had - to protect his land and the people dear to him.

Furthermore, he owed a debt of gratitude to Naruto. *He once had blank pages left in the middle of the picture book he made of him and his brother. He had long forgotten what he wanted to express on those last two pages but he finally finished it during his first assigned mission with Team 7. It was Naruto who made him remember that he also once had formed a special bond.^ That kind of bond...he would have wanted to form more of those if he was given the chance, but apparently, it will not happen now. Slowly, Sai bowed his head. "Forgive me; I cannot do as you ask."

"I see..." Danzo said. "So you value the jinchuuriki's existence, do you?"

Sai had expected his head to get cut off immediately after he refused. But Danzo-sama was still talking and apparently, he was asking him another question. "Yes, sir. I believe Uzumaki Naruto can still be of some use to the country," he replied, taking his chances. A few streaks of blood ran through both his arms as droplets of the same red liquid trickled on the ground just where the wires were binding his wrists.

"I understand your sentiment and I will consider your opinion on the matter," Danzo said to Sai's surprise.

"However," the old man continued. "You will still have to prove yourself. There are a few other subjects who are contributing to the degradation of Konoha's morals." He moved forward and dropped a sheet of paper on the ground within Sai's line of sight. "Choose any one of those and consider yourself redeemed."

****~7~****

Sai scanned through the names on the sheet. Haruno Sakura, Nara Shikamaru, Akimichi Chouji, Yamanaka Ino, Hyuuga Hinata, Aburame Shino, Inuzuka Kiba, Rock Lee, ...;the list went on. None of the jounins were included for elimination. Perhaps Danzo acknowledged that they were still essential to the protection of the village.

Unfortunately, none of the chuunins merited the same consideration. Sai kept silent. What a fool he was to even have thought he had a way out of this. His fate was decided the moment those chakra wires circled his wrists or perhaps even before that.

"I'm sorry," Sai finally said with resignation. Danzo turned his back and headed for the exit just as he gave one final sentiment. "It's too bad, young one. I had placed great value in your abilities but you exercise poor judgment. None of those you consider friends care about you or your whereabouts."

As the door closed behind him, the wires jerked with tremendous strength cutting through what's left of the skin and through the ligaments that attached hand to arm's bone. Blood spurted out and quickly created a large pool of blood beneath him.

He sat there staring at the detached pair of hands as blood continued to spew out of his wrists. The entire room was circling around him. He won't be able to weave signs, much less paint anymore, he thought. He found humor in the ridiculousness of those concerns. Pretty soon, his body would run out of blood and he would surely die. Why was he thinking about not being able to paint? Danzo's final words echoed in his head.

_"None of those you consider friends care about you or your whereabouts."_

Sai considered the validity of those words. He had exerted some effort in trying to form a kind of friendship with the other young shinobi of the village, most of whom were on the list that was still resting on the ground in front of him, now soaked in red. At that moment, he could only recall their laughs whenever he didn't get a joke that was supposed to be funny, or the strange look they gave him whenever he said something inappropriate. It was easy to accept that none of them ever completely trusted him much less considered him a friend.

He lay down as he felt dizziness overcome him. He felt his body getting numb. "Even so," he whispered to himself. "Even so..." It was nice to watch them. It was nice to see their smiling faces and witness how they cared for each other. It would have been nice to observe those things for a little while longer, even if he remained just an outsider.

Fear crept at him now, not for himself, but for Naruto and those on the list. Maybe he shouldn't have refused so easily. If it wasn't him, someone else would be assigned to take them out. If he had chosen a target, he would have had a chance to go and warn everyone at least. He cursed his stupidity. It's too late even if he pretended to fear death, call out to Danzo-sama and swear to do as he was bidden. He lost his hands; even if he's still breathing, he was now useless as a ninja. He's as good as dead to the Foundation.

He felt dizzy but his mind was still trying to think of a way to warn them. There was none. And so Sai just stared blankly in the darkness trying to recall all the memorable adventures he shared with the young ninjas of the Leaf. He did this until all strength left him. He closed his eyes and darkness took over.

Minutes later, two men entered and carried Sai's body out of the chamber. Danzo never left the room contrary to what Sai saw. There was no sign of blood, no loose body parts. His hands were still firmly attached to his arms. He was caught in a powerful genjutsu, an illusion, by Danzo. The old master had very quickly lifted the bandage across his left eye just as he ordered Sai to raise his head to face him at the onset of their meeting. Sai was trapped the moment their eyes met.

**Continue ****to ****Part 8**


	5. Part 8 to 9 Missing

**~8~**

"What do you think?" Danzo asked, still somewhat impressed that Sai lasted more than an hour before completely losing consciousness under the illusion of death.

He wondered what went on inside Sai's head within those moments. Danzo never had any intention to have anyone at Konoha village assassinated. He simply wanted to see if Sai's newfound loyalty could be broken. He admitted to himself then that he would have been disappointed if Sai chose someone else's life over his own. Danzo trained him after all. He would have not suffered anyone who valued his own life more. It was something he had to prove to himself through this measure that he knew he had to undertake in the first place. The fake death was a pre-requisite to Ikioku's technique.

"The memory since you assigned him outside is too large to be completely removed without causing him major brain damage," Ikioku said. The two old men were standing beside Sai's unconscious form laid out on what looked like a long lab table in a well lit room where various medical and ninjutsu equipment were stacked on shelves that lined the four walls. The room had no visible exit.

This laboratory was built in secrecy under Danzo's guidance just like many of the chambers that exist within Root's command post. Therefore, the entryway was built either on the ground or behind fake walls. This time, it was under a wheeled desk by the wall behind the two men. Ikioku, who was led into this room blindfolded, had spent the better part of the day examining Sai's brain with his clan's forbidden technique, specifically taking note of the parts where certain memories were located.

"What do you mean by brain damage?" Danzo asked in turn.  
>"It means you might as well kill him if you really intend to take this entire part of his memory out. A year is just too long, the memories are spread out. Removing only part of it will render the jutsu useless. It will be easier to take out his entire memory instead."<p>

Danzo's eyebrows narrowed. No, he did not want his entire memory removed. That meant taking out his Anbu training as well. He only wanted to get rid of anything that had to do with his association to Uzumaki Naruto starting from the time he was ordered to assassinate Uchiha Sasuke up to the present. Ikioku's proclamation was not what he wanted to hear. He went out of his way to hire a shady clan's services in order to get his asset back to the way he was before he was tainted by the outside world's dangerous influence. "Is that really all you can do?" he asked without any attempt to hide his disappointment.

Ikioku lifted his hand to his chin, waited a moment then faced Danzo with a serious expression. "Danzo-sama, I did say we have been making some improvements to our jutsu, haven't I?" Danzo didn't speak. He finally caught on to what this shrewd little man was getting at. "But..." Ikioku continued. "it will be very difficult. Very difficult-"

"How much?" Danzo asked bluntly.

"Ah Danzo-sama, it's not that I want to charge you extra but-" Danzo cut him short. He had no time to play games.

"How much?"

"Just fifty thousand more. You must realize-"

"Done! Get on with it."

"Let me first explain, my lord. I cannot remove this boy's memory."

"What? Then what did we negotiate for just now?"

"Forgive me, please listen, I cannot remove his memory but I can place a kind of barrier that will seal away his memory and prevent it from being accessed. It will be like the memory is not there."

Danzo realized he'd been had. He saw no real difference between the first option and the second. He made it clear from the beginning he wanted Sai's memory out of the way; whether it was sealed or completely removed did not matter to him. This old man just conned him into shelling out an extra fifty thousand ryo. He calmed himself and decided the extra expense was fine as long as the goal was achieved.

Ikioku was somewhat disappointed that he was not given the chance to explain the intricacies of his technique. He was proud of his clan's secret jutsu that surpassed even that of the famous Yamanaka clan of the Leaf. He was the best when it came to delving into the human brain.

But no matter, he succeeded in getting more for the extra effort; it was his intent in the first place. He placed his hands on Sai's forehead and streams of purple light began to travel from the tips of his long fingers into Sai's brain. Small clips of that light settled between the chambers containing the memories that Danzo deemed destructive to his cause.

**~9~**

And so Sai surveyed his wrists and tried to remember what it was that scared him just then. He flipped his hands so that his palms would face upward then he flipped them back down again. His hands looked normal to him. Maybe it was just his imagination.

He wasn't a prisoner, he failed on a mission and he woke up in this chamber after being unconscious for a week. What that mission was, he might find out later. It was either to assassinate an identified threat or a surveillance mission to gather crucial information.

In any case, he was saved by Danzo-sama. He lay back down on the bed and tried to sleep but he was already fully conscious. He would just have to lie there and wait until he is summoned.

Then he remembered something and so he bolted right up. He walked toward the desk and began to survey the things on top. His picture book, where was it? *It was his only important possession. He always made sure it was with him. It was a picture book he made consisting of drawings of himself and his brother. No, he was not really his brother. He was just someone he grew up and trained with; someone who died quite early.

The picture book was unfinished. It had blank pages in the middle. He did not know how to proceed after that point^ but it didn't matter. He wanted to see it again. It wasn't on the desk. He looked under the bed and under the mattress. Not there. He must have lost it during that last mission. If it was so then it's lost forever. He sat back down on the bed with resignation.

The moon was high now that the beam shining through the window provided enough light. There was no need to turn the lamp on. He lay down, closed his eyes and tried to clear his mind. "It shouldn't matter", he thought. "I exist for the mission. I have no possessions. Where will you find a root with a picture book anyway? He would be saying that to himself a few more times in the days ahead.

oOoOoOoOo

Tsunade stood staring at the window behind her desk. Once again, that blasted Naruto had the cheek to march into her office and demand that she produce Sai. She threw him out with a big kick in the butt. She groaned. "Darn Sarutobi-Sensei for letting that Danzo have full authority over his unit."

She respected the Third but he was just too soft-hearted at times. She would not have been compelled to accept the post of Hokage if he did not die at the hands of his former pupil, Orochimaru. "Until the very last moment," she mused, "he must have still been trying to find a way to save Orochimaru from his evil ways and so held back when he should have fought with his full might from the beginning." And now Danzo's proving to be a problem.

She conceded that Root, being composed of specially trained shinobi, had played a significant part in protecting the country. However, Danzo's extremely right-wing policies left a bad taste in her mouth, not to mention the questionable methods in training the people under him.

There was no available data but Tsunade was aware that Root shinobi had dwindled in number since its formation more than fifty years ago. There's probably less than forty now, maybe fifty. Sai is likely the youngest and no new recruits since, as far as she knew.

Many years ago, parents complained that their children who went to train in Root were not allowed to come home or make any contact with family members. Recruits came in droves but it seemed only a handful would go out on missions. The others never came out of the training grounds. Parents demanded to see their children only to be told that they died in the line of duty.

*When an Anbu dies, even an Anbu belonging outside Root, he is never recovered-such was the accepted condition for the profession.^ But even then, Root's policies were too much for the parents. Danzo was forced to pull out recruits from the village orphanage to avoid troublesome protests as a result. Training had gone smoothly since and the number of Root shinobi grew for many years until new orphanage administrators refused to hand in any more of their wards.

**Continue ****to ****Part 10**


	6. Part 10 to 11 Root

**~10~**

Danzo exercised every means possible to hide the reason why the orphanage changed its policy. No one had ever escaped Root's training grounds until a 12-year old managed to slip through with a self-developed jutsu. He ran back to the orphanage he vaguely remembered coming from and attempted to tell of the harsh conditions inside the Foundation. But he went straight into paralysis as soon as he opened his mouth causing a great commotion within the facility.

Danzo had to come and meet with the administrators himself to recover the boy. The officials refused to hand him over. Danzo then explained that the boy had requested leave from Root that day to visit the orphanage. It was unfortunate, he said, that he had met with such accident. He would then do what he could to help find out what medical condition he had that caused the paralysis and possibly treat him. With that, the orphanage granted Danzo permission to retrieve the boy and take him back to Root for observation.

Under Danzo's control, the cursed seal placed on his tongue was removed. *This seal was placed on every shinobi in Root from the time they are taken in so that they will be prevented from ever speaking of Danzo and Root's secret activities. The seal would only disappear at the time of Danzo's death^ or if it was removed by Danzo himself.

Danzo took the boy to Konoha hospital later expressing deep regret to the orphanage administrators that he could not do anything to help treat him. The boy remained comatose with no explanation from resident doctors other than natural genetic malfunction. He never recovered. With the cursed seal gone, there was no evidence of foul-play.

The incident even merited some advantage for Danzo-Root had not had a runaway since. But the orphanage officials were not happy. In truth, they could not identify who the boy was. Most of their wards chosen by Root's recruitment committee were only 5 or 6 years of age at the time. The boy lying in the hospital was already around 12 or 13 and he went into paralysis even before he said his name.

Past management freely allowed passing off these orphans because Root Foundation had donated much needed financial support to their institution. Aside from this, the village experienced large-scale wars that produced an overwhelming number of parentless children they could not afford to accommodate. The foundation offered to rear these young ones for special ninja training. Those who were in charge then were glad to rid themselves of the extra burden.

Konoha had since experienced a relatively longer period of peace. There was less number of orphans, more time and resources to look after each of them. Even though the incident with the 12-year old was settled quietly, the orphanage finally decided it was time to cut its ties with the mysterious Danzo and his Root Foundation.

Sai was one out of the last batch *taken in at the age of 6, trained to repress his emotions and prepared to die quietly, fearlessly and in anonymity for the protection of the Fire Country.^

**~11~**

Sai was relieved that he was not pressed hard for failing in his mission. They didn't tell him what the assignment was and he dared not ask. He was merely told that it had taken him a year with ineffective outcome. He couldn't help but be curious as to what kind of mission would take that long but he knew he would get no answers.

He was ordered to keep the room he woke up in as his quarters for an indefinite period of time. That was easy enough; his old room was no bigger except it had a larger window and it wasn't as narrow. But all was well and he was now on his way to another mission. He wondered if it was possible his picture book was in his old room. Never mind, 'a root doesn't own a picture book.'

oOoOoOoOo

It was 8AM on a Tuesday, exactly two weeks after Sai's unceremonious departure. Shizune, Tsunade's assistant was standing beside her boss. Across Tsunade's desk stood Danzo in his usual garb: *A gray robe that concealed his entire right arm and almost entirely covered his white kimono. His walking stick was firmly held with his left hand, his head half covered in white bandage.^ Farther behind near the exit was Hatake Kakashi, Team 7's mentor and celebrated jounin quite well-known throughout the shinobi world.

"Danzo-san", Tsunade began, "would it be possible for Sai to come just once so his former teammates can bid their good-byes?" Tsunade asked trying as best she could to sound cordial despite her thoughts. "I hate his guts."

"Certainly, I will have Sai report to you as soon as he returns from an important mission."

"Thank you."

"Well then, if that is all you wanted to ask, I will take my leave."

As Danzo was about to exit, he stopped by the door. "I'm surprised there seems to be an interest in my subordinate now. Certain people were against his assignment to your team not long ago, if I remember correctly."

Kakashi didn't speak. Tsunade raised an eyebrow. Danzo had his back turned. "Well, you know kids", Tsunade said. "They fight one minute and play together the next."

"I wasn't talking about the children." With that, Danzo left.

"Tsk!" Tsunade clicked while muttering under her breath. "I hate his guts."

She faced Kakashi and said dryly "Well, you heard him. We'll just have to wait for a while."

Kakashi nodded. "There's no telling when that 'important' mission will be over though."

"That's true, but there's no use asking him either. We'll just have to give it some time and follow it up again in a week or so."

"Understood."

Kakashi knew he had to use his influence as a former Anbu to move forward with this problem. "But it's still a long shot," he thought. Even when he was an active Anbu operative, he never crossed paths with anyone from Root. His missions were mostly defensive in nature while theirs were on the offensive, therein lay one of the biggest differences between Root and the rest of the secret operative branch. Then of course, there's the mysterious training that have long been speculated on in whispers even among the regular Anbu unit. Kakashi realized his own Anbu connections might not suffice at all.

**Continue ****to ****Part 1****2**


	7. Part 12 to 13 Gap

**~12~**

Sai was back bowing on one knee before Danzo after just three days on mission.

"I see you finished ahead of schedule," Danzo said as he read the report that Sai prepared for him. "You may go back to your quarters. You will be briefed on your next assignment by tomorrow morning."

"Hai," Sai said then quickly left.

Danzo recalled the time Tsunade requested audience and appealed to see Sai. "I'll give it around a week and a half," he thought. "Then I'll inform them that he has not returned and most likely died in the line of duty. That should end this business."

It was a plausible plan. Sai's missions were always outside the Fire Country. A death of a shinobi was not an uncommon thing. Even if by a slim chance he got spotted anywhere by his village friends, he would opt to disappear immediately rather than make contact with people he did not know. Besides, a Root Anbu never gets spotted by chance, this Danzo was confident in.

In his chamber, Sai figured he had 4 hours before he would get summoned again for the new mission. He knew he should catch some needed sleep but he found himself seated in front of his small desk. He unrolled a scroll and drew one of his scout mice with black ink. He formed his hand seal and uttered "Ninpo choju giga." The mouse came to life and stared at him.

*He had used this technique numerous times for scouting or hunting down the whereabouts of his targets. The mice would spring out of his scroll and knew immediately what to do in obedience to his will.* Tonight, however, the little mouse didn't know where to go. "It's okay," Sai said and reaching across he petted the creature. "I just wanted some company." The mouse kept still, wiggled its black nose and let its head get stroked.

The heavy feeling in his chest confused him. Was it because a fellow Anbu was killed during the mission he just finished? The casualty was also masked but he was certain he worked with the man before on at least two or three occasions in the past. They never saw each other's faces but Sai's keen sense of observation enabled him to identify his fellow Anbu by physical features other than the face.

He had witnessed many a shinobi killed during his missions, a lot of them with chances to survive if they were taken back to the village and treated. But an injured Root shinobi didn't have that option. Though he was conditioned to repress his emotions, he still preferred to work alone rather than see a fellow shinobi killed.

"The mission must be completed at all cost. Anyone that lags behind is left behind," he recited aloud. He didn't feel any better. He let the mouse evaporate, deciding it was a waste of chakra. He had a new mission in the morning and must therefore recover his strength. He lay on the bed and slept.

**~13~**

Tsunade's eye was twitching with annoyance. "Why must I deal with you people this time?" she growled. "And you again," she pointed at Naruto who merely pouted.

"Shikamaru, what made you think you can lead this bunch so easily into Root Headquarters?"

"I knew it wouldn't be easy but it was worth a try," Shikamaru shrugged.

And you, Neji, you're already a jounin and you go along with such juvenile tactics."

"My apologies," Neji said but he wasn't really sorry and he showed it.

Shino and Hinata were also in the line up. Two Root Anbu waited by the exit.

"How many times must I tell you," Tsunade began, "Sai has been recalled to Root. He's already on active mission. He has no time to meet you at the moment. Danzo-san promised he will send Sai over as soon as he comes back."

Hinata fidgeted and looked at the others. Tsunade glowered at them one by one. "Since you all seem to have so much time on your hands, I have just the mission to keep you busy for a few days."

The group waited as Tsunade took out a sheet of paper from her desk drawer. Then she said "The Feudal Lord's - "

"Whoa! Feudal Lord?" Naruto interjected. "It must be an A-rank mission then, eh! I'm getting pumped up!"

"SHUT UP!" Tsunade roared. The others, excluding Hinata, glared at Naruto.

Tsunade scanned the sheet again. "The Feudal Lord's wife Madam Shijimi's cat Tora-chan ran away again. Go find it." Everyone's jaw dropped.

"Get Konohamaru to find it. We're not twelve anymore, you know!" Naruto protested.

"Did we just get demoted?" Shino asked.

"Looks like it," Shikamaru replied. "Except for Naruto, he's always been a genin."

"Hokage-sama, is there any other mission you can use us for?" Neji asked feeling desperate.

"None," was Tsunade's curt reply. "The jounins are handling the high-rank missions right now except you, Neji, since you happen to be here and managed to get into trouble. D-rank ones are the only ones available for you."

Neji's head slumped. The next few days would be extremely embarrassing.

"After you find Tora-chan, there are a few baby-sitting and seed-planting requests from other clients, is that clear?" Tsunade barked, and facing the two Root Anbu by the door she said, "Please extend my apologies to Danzo-san. I will keep an eye on this bunch."

The anbu nodded and disappeared. Tsunade was left with five young ninjas who wished the floor would swallow them up. She turned her back and faced the window. "Well," she said. "Did you find out anything?" she asked. Shikamaru concealed a grin. "I knew it."

**Continue ****to ****Part ****14**


	8. Part 14 to 15 Assassin

**~14~**

"The wall was too thick too see anything well, but there was a trace of an underground entrance," Hinata reported.

"My insects made their way straight through based on Hinata's coordinates. They were able to reach the second inner chamber," Shino reported. "There was a narrow hall leading to different passageways that were blocked by chakra detectors. That's as far as I got."

"Not bad," Tsunade thought.

"I scanned the rear," Neji said. "I'll have to look at it again to make sure but there seems to be a pathway underneath that leads out of the village. The trace is very hard to notice even with Byakugan."

Tsunade pondered on this for a moment. A secret passage in and out of Konoha. No one ever considered investigating Root's Headquarters in the past. Only someone with a specific goal would think to sift through the whole parameter in such a manner and manage to find even a trace of that secret passage. She knew it was Shikamaru who identified the right ninja for each task. She turned to Naruto. "And what's your role in this?"

"He's the diversion," Shikamaru answered. "He went straight to the front of the entrance and did what he does best, make a lot of noise. It's not a hidden fact that he's been looking for Sai. He got everyone's attention in his usual way. It gave us a chance to take a little peek. They don't know how far we got. We were caught just after everyone was already gathered to go back. They thought we were just about to start."

Tsunade was impressed though she didn't show it. Outwitting Root was no easy task. "But because you were caught, you're now on their watch list," she said.

"It should be fine, I think," Shikamaru said. "They still believe their headquarters is impenetrable. We're no threat to them based on today's bungled activity. They think we're just a bunch of idiots."

Shikamaru's mind was racing. There was a great deal of planning to be done in order to get into Root's Headquarters further. For now, they've successfully managed to map out certain coordinates that have never been revealed to an outsider. It's a start. They would have to figure out how to get past through the chakra detectors as well. Other ninjas might be willing to help with that.

"Well then," Tsunade said. "It's time for you to go and find Tora-chan."

Everyone looked at her in disbelief.

"But Tsunade-bachan..." Naruto was about to protest.

"What? Did you think you're off the hook just because I sympathize with your cause?"

Her expression turned serious. "I understand your concern for Sai but you're treading into something very dangerous. An internal conflict with Root is hardly what we need to engage in right now."

Everyone's face was grim. Tsunade chose her words carefully. "Danzo trusted Sai enough to assign him outside of his Anbu unit and into yours. I believe Danzo values his service and will not harm him so easily. If Sai's in trouble, he will find some way to get in touch. For now we have to believe that he chose to not bid you farewell on purpose. It could mean he intends to come back someday."

This made some sense and Tsunade perceived the logic in her words got through. She herself needed a little more convincing. She sent the young ninjas out to look for the runaway cat.

**~15~**

The assignment was to take out a target from the country of Hail. An influential lord was reported to have contracted the services of rogue ninja from his own territory to assassinate key council members of the Fire Country. The Hokage obtained the information and dispatched the Anbu to protect the council. Danzo, however, deemed this insufficient and so dispatched Sai's team to get rid of the notorious lord.

Sai's mice led him and three other shinobi to where Lord Hisamegoro kept his residence. They staked out the location for two days taking note of guard rotations and other activities. They made their move on the third night.

The team's leader signaled for Sai to create a more inconspicuous creature to seek out the lord himself within the mansion. Sai took out his scroll and brushed in a few small lizards.

"Ninpo choju giga."

The lizards crawled out from the surface of the scroll and headed inside. They made their way to the ceiling peeking through the crannies between each door until they reached Hisamegoro's room. Sai signaled to his leader that the target had been located.

Two guards stood at the front of the mansion, two more on opposite corners of the façade. From what Sai saw through the mice's eyes, two more guards stood right in front of the house itself. The plan was for the operation to be stealthy and quick such that the rear guards wouldn't even have a chance to respond until the team had exited the mansion's gate.

Sai and his leader positioned themselves to attack the two front guards. The other two members of their team headed for the two corner guards. On the leader's signal, the four simultaneously and silently took out their targets with short swords. The victims' mouths were covered to prevent any noise. Without stopping, they jumped over the wall, made their way by the edges until they reached the house.

In such operations, they limit ninjutsu usage both to save chakra and to prevent outright detection by other ninjas. They were sure Hisamegoro had at least one ninja acting as guard somewhere inside the residence. The two who took care of the corner guards were assigned to the guards by the door. Their team leader would seek out the ninja guard inside while Sai was assigned to take out the main target.

Sai took out his scroll and painted three snakes that sprung out and slithered by the edge of the walls until they reached the room where Hisamegoro slept. One snake quickly encircled the man's neck and squeezed it until it snapped. A second snake bound his arms to make sure it will not be able to struggle or make a sound. The third did the same to his legs. Sai stood watching the snakes without emotion as Hisamegoro was being strangled before him. He had done this many times in the past. This man had ordered the assassination of Sai's countrymen. Such a thing was unforgivable.

**Continue to Part 16**


	9. Part 16 to 17 Escape

**~16~**

With the task completed, Sai exited the bedroom. His team leader met him and signaled that he did not find the ninja guard anywhere inside. He motioned for them to go. Sai knew the absence of the ninja guard was cause for concern. Indeed, the mission was completed too easily. He decided to go back inside the room to inspect the body. His leader followed.

"It's a real human body alright but is it really Hisamegoro?" he wondered but only to himself. He took out a sheet of paper that indicated the target's profile. It looked like him but a body double was not out of the question either. These lords were prepared to sacrifice other people to save their own hides; Danzo taught him this. He turned around to consult his leader. As he did so, he saw the man finishing a seal formation with his hands and right then, hailstones gushed forward bound for Sai. This was the ninja guard that his leader was supposed to do away with but had taken his form as a disguise instead.

Sai very narrowly dodged a hailstone aimed at his head. He evaded another coming toward his chest but a sharp one cut through his left shoulder. There was no chance to even take out a scroll much less paint a defense. He leaped for the nearest window and tore his way out.

Luckily, the wooden frames were easy to knock out and Sai found himself dodging hail from the outside. This time, he was able to take out his scroll and paint in a lion. It leaped through the air and attacked the hailstone-pelting shinobi.

A large hailstone easily smashed through the lion and its ink composition splattered and disappeared. Almost at the same time as the lion lunged, Sai himself ran forward and gutted the enemy with his sword. The shinobi lay dead by Sai's feet.

His team leader was likely dead. His shoulder was bleeding from the cut. Is this another failed mission?

Sai took a deep breath. He took his scroll out again and drew ten mice. He closed his eyes and waited as the mice scrambled for every cranny they could find. Less than a minute later, he opened his eyes again. "Just as I thought."

He pushed the bed where the fake Hisamegoro lay as far back as he could. A trap door became visible on the floor where the bed was. He lifted the narrow slit with his short sword. The real Hisamegoro looked at him with terrified eyes from below. The assault was quick and possibly even painless. Sai leaped back up from the hole as quickly as he jumped down. Hisamegoro's body lay dead below. Mission completed.

The noise up front was getting louder. Sai ran forward and saw his two teammates battling ten to fifteen soldiers. They managed to take out at least seven with katon (fire element) but then two ninjas arrived and faced them head on. They were ice element users like the one Sai killed. Fire was weak against ice though his two teammates, Sai knew, had more up their sleeves.

However, the mission was complete and so they did not need to take any more risks. Sai himself was running out of chakra. He took out his scroll again and drew three lions and released them toward the enemy as distraction. He then created a bird which grew into a giant size to serve as escape transportation. Sai swooped in for the other two Root shinobi and the bird flew straight out of the mansion.

**~17~**

Soldiers ran in pursuit together with the two Hail ninja guards. Sai's chakra ran even lower as he struggled to keep the bird flying with three shinobi on its back.

The bird's altitude dropped from 20 meters to only 10 even before it reached the border. The pursuing shinobi took this opportunity to release hailstones in droves. The barrage hit and scattered the ink-made bird causing its passengers to get thrown off violently to the ground. The three were forced to make a dash for it on foot. They made their way to the nearest forest to shield themselves from the attack.

It would take about an hour to reach the border of Hail and into Earth Country at their pace. Their direction was actually opposite to Fire Country as a matter of procedure. The enemy should hold no indication which nation they hailed from even if they're captured. The longer trek to another foreign country was one more sacrifice they had to make to keep their own land safe.

They had long outpaced the soldiers in their retreat but the two Hail shinobi's speed was equal to their own. Sai knew he did not have enough chakra to engage in battle yet they may be forced to do just that if the trackers narrow the distance between them further. As they continued their retreat leaping from tree to tree, the two Hail shinobi suddenly stopped, sensing a river flowing nearby. They formed seals with their hands and the atmosphere became intensely cold. The water from the river was being drawn up by an invisible force. Sharp white shards of ice formed as the water got mixed with the chilly air.

The three Root Anbu sensed the change in temperature. They knew what was coming without looking back and so struggled to hasten their pace. They would soon run out of trees to shield themselves with when they reach the edge of the forest. The Anbu with the fox mask was motioning a plan. The other one with the cat mask nodded in understanding. The two simultaneously blew giant fireballs toward the trees behind them creating a fiery screen of red and yellow. Amidst the flames, the white shards of ice pierced like lightning through tree trunks and whatever got in the way. At that moment, one ripped through the right leg of the one with the fox mask causing him to fall from midair. Sai saw him struggle on the ground below, crawling, carrying his whole weight with his arms. The heavy shard was still stuck on his right leg.

The cat-masked Anbu witnessed the same scene. He looked at Sai once then continued his retreat. Sai's eyes followed him but then looked back at his teammate below. "Whoever lags behind is left behind," he recalled. Why was he hesitating? He had very little chakra left and barely had any sensation on his left arm because of the cut he sustained at the mansion.

The anbu below managed to pull out the shard from his leg but it was impossible for him to get up. The gash spurted out a profuse amount of blood. Very soon the Hail ninjas would get passed the flaming trees and come upon the wounded Anbu. Without thinking, Sai raced toward the man. He had no medical kit so he took off his hood cloak and ripped it. He hastily wrapped the torn strip of cloth around the wounded leg. Behind the fox mask, the shinobi was both confused and grateful for what his teammate was doing. He was also somewhat angry at this development. He was resigned to his fate, almost happy that his long service to Root would come to an end. What was this about?

In the meantime, Sai had done his best to keep the bandage tight to stop the bleeding but he knew this was all useless if his companion could not manage to stand up much less run on his own. The Hail shinobi could appear at any time. He figured he could still make a dash for it but certainly not if he had a wounded shinobi on his shoulders. Thinking fast, he assessed the amount of chakra he had left. "Just enough," he decided.

He took out a scroll with his right hand, unrolled it on the ground and with the same hand, took out his brush and painted a lion. The life-sized beast leaped out of the scroll and folded its legs so that it was laying forward. Sai half-dragged, half-carried the injured Anbu onto the back of the lion. Immediately, Sai resumed his retreat toward Earth Country. The lion followed and soon overtook its creator.

**Continue ****to ****Part ****18**


	10. Part 18 to 19 Gone

**~18~**

The lion changed course and turned left toward the west of the border after it reached the edge of the forest. Sai knew the pursuers would follow his own tracks as the ink-made lion would leave no trail.

Besides, the beast should make it back to Konoha before the wounded Anbu bled to death. The shortest route back would be through the edge of Grass Country while he himself had to continue heading up north. He would have to rely on his physical strength from then on to get away as he was using up his remaining chakra to control the lion from a far distance. The sun was starting to rise from the east. The sooner he got to a place to hide and recover his strength, the better.

There had been no sign of the Hail Shinobi for quite some time; no sign of his cat-masked comrade either. His ink lion was running through a grassy knoll with its charge hanging on to its neck. Sai figured it would take at least three hours before it reaches Fire Country, another hour to the hidden village of Leaf. He had to be careful to keep the beast within a route that's unpopulated. His vast travel experience outside his homeland was proving to be an advantage. *He often sent reports back to base by turning written words into a flying creature^ but he had never sent back anything by land before, certainly not a human being.

Sai was also running. He left the forest before dawn and even if he was still in there, he wouldn't have the energy to gallop from tree to tree. Lights. A town was visible up ahead. Good. This was his only chance for cover until dark. He managed to stay out of open areas scrambling between boulders and trees until he reached such a place. He looked back to make sure he wasn't being followed. No one. He wondered if the Anbu with the cat mask had gone to a separate direction and was being pursued rather than him. He could not have gone ahead more than 10 minutes after Sai decided to rescue their wounded teammate.

At last, rows of houses and commercial establishments stretched across the open road. It had only been a few minutes after dawn and fairly dark still. He would have been in trouble if his mission forced him to go east. He made his way to the back row and silently climbed up the roof of the nearest inn. He slumped on the clay tiled roof and remained hidden between oversized eaves.

His body was near collapse but he forced himself to remain conscious to keep the lion going. "Just one more hour," he thought. The lion had entered Fire Country territory. He rested his back against the inclined clay tiles. He managed to bind his wounded shoulder while on the run with a strip of his torn cloak and so minimized the bleeding but his arm felt numb to the touch. He closed his eyes and concentrated on the lion's journey. Even in Fire Country, he still had to keep it hidden.

The sun was getting brighter, so bright from the lion's eyes. He hardly ever got to see daylight like this. His missions always required him to move at night. This may account for his overly pale complexion. But for some reason, his skin color had gotten somewhat less pale from what he remembered. Could it have anything to do with that year-long mission he'd forgotten? But he wasn't thinking about that then. His mind was focused on getting the lion home.

"It's impossible," he thought sensing his chakra level nearing its limit. He realized he couldn't get the wounded Anbu as far as Root's headquarters. "It's too far to go around."

He didn't know what would happen to the Root shinobi if he was exposed. Neither did he consider what rescuing one would mean. "What am I doing?" he finally asked himself. But it was pointless to just abandon what he had already started. He would have to face the consequences later, that is, if he ever survived to do so. He released his remaining chakra to drive the lion to the nearest place where someone could come to the wounded man's aid, Konoha's main gate.

**~19~**

Naruto and Shikamaru were back in Tsunade's office after only four days, this time with Haruno Sakura.

"For a shinobi village, word sure travels fast around here," Tsunade said with sarcasm.

"It's true then." Shikamaru began. "Kotetsu and Izumo saw it with their own eyes."

"Those blabbermouths are deadmeat when I see them," Tsunade thought. *But then Shikamaru worked with Kotetsu and Izumo on a high-level mission in the past. It's no surprise they'd let him know.^

"Hey, Shikamaru, why did you drag us here for?" Naruto asked. Sakura was equally perplexed why Shikamaru, of all people, would insist on taking them to see the Hokage at once.

"What did they see?" She asked him.

"A lion," Shikamaru replied not taking his eyes off the Hokage's.

"A lion? Naruto echoed. "What's a lion doing here? And what's that got to do with us? Wait, is it going to attack?"

Sakura shushed her teammate sensing something significant was about to be revealed.

"It was a lion created by super beast imitation technique," Shikamaru finished.

"That's Sai's technique," Naruto said turning his attention toward Tsunade.

Everyone waited for the Hokage's explanation but she kept quiet, thinking. She still wasn't sure what the scene at the gate implied.

Shikamaru started the account. "Kotetsu and Izumo were manning the gate when they spotted some kind of black and white beast set down a person on the ground a few meters away. They agreed later that it was a lion, an ink-drawn lion."

Naruto's eyes lighted up. "So Sai's back?" he said with excitement.

"The lion disappeared," Tsunade said. "It faded away."

"Wait, wasn't the person with it Sai?" Sakura asked.

"It was a wounded shinobi but it wasn't Sai. He's at Konoha hospital right now. We assume that he's also from Root," Tsunade replied.

"Great! We can ask him," Naruto said.

"Perhaps," Tsunade answered. "But he's still unconscious." She knew it wouldn't be that easy even if he wasn't.

"But why did the lion stop a few meters from the gate?" Sakura wondered aloud.

"That's the thing," it was Shizune who spoke. "Root shinobi have never been known to use the main gate."

"They're not known to bring back the wounded either," Tsunade added.

"So we can assume that it really was Sai who brought him back," Sakura said.

"We can also assume that he and Sai were in some kind of battle before he got wounded," Shikamaru offered.

"Then," Naruto began then stopped and shook his head. "Sai's okay, isn't he? He got the lion as far as the gate."

"Before it faded away," Sakura finished.

Tsunade surveyed the concerned faces in front of her. "We don't know what that means for sure."

"Sai's beast imitations *disappear when it's either hit directly or if Sai wills them to," Naruto said.

"Or if he loses consciousness^," Sakura declared.

"Or if Sai wills them to!" Naruto said again more emphatically.

The others couldn't help but admire the kind of determination that could only come from the person standing before them.

**Continue to Part 20**


	11. Part 20 to 21 Unexpected

**~20~**

Sai woke up feeling like a ton of bricks was holding him down. The numbness on his left shoulder had given way to excruciating pain that vibrated throughout his body. He took his mask off realizing he still had it on when he passed out earlier in the day. He tried to check the wound but the cloth bandage was stuck to his skin and it ripped at his flesh when he tried to peel it. He took off the glove from his left hand and bit at it to keep from uttering even a single groan.

He was lying on his back against the clay roof tiles. The heat of the high noon sun penetrated through the oversized eaves and into his skin. It was not good to stay there any longer. He tried to get up but his body was far too heavy to raise. He rolled over and belly-crawled his way out using his right arm to move forward. He peeked at the back road while keeping his head low. The sound of activity from vendors and pedestrians could be heard from the other side where the main street was but not from the row he was facing.

He decided to take the risk and craned his neck further down and saw that the inn's rear balcony was open. He must first get down to the part of the balcony where he would not be visible from the inside. From there, he would make his way down.

With his right arm, he grabbed hold of the roof's gutter from the inside. He took a deep breath and with a large heave, quickly did a crash dive somersault using his right arm as a means to propel himself almost three-quarter of the way from the roof down to the edge of the balcony's surface. He landed with a loud thud on the left side, his back slamming hard against the wall. It was loud enough to be heard if anyone was inside the room from where the balcony protruded.

Sai kept still and held his breath. A few seconds, no one came out. He breathed a sigh of relief. He looked down to his left and gauged the height of his next descent. But when he turned his face again, a girl was standing in the middle of the balcony, staring at him with surprise. By instinct, Sai reached for his tanto (short sword) prepared to strike, his left-hand glove still wedged between his teeth.

The girl's eyes strayed toward his limp and bloody shoulder. She pointed at it. "You're hurt," were the words that came out of her mouth. She motioned for him to come inside. Sai hesitated. He looked down to his left trying to decide if he should jump.

"You could die from that, you know?" she boldly declared pointing at his shoulder again. "This is my room. No one will see you," She assured.

Still battling his own logic, Sai reluctantly followed.

**~21~**

Danzo stood in the middle of his chamber with his eyes closed. Things had not gone the way he wanted at all. He received an advanced report that Lord Hisamegoro had been eliminated. That was well and good, Sai's team accomplished its task. But then yesterday morning, one of his own was reportedly brought wounded to the main gate by Sai's beast imitation. There was no word on what became of Sai.

He had planned to declare the young shinobi officially dead as a means to shield him from the village's intrusions. Was the effort to bring him back only good for a couple of missions? What's worse, Sai made another impulsive decision causing Danzo much inconvenience. He wouldn't be able to easily fool Tsunade the way he did the orphanage officials long ago. The best he could do was to claim his stake on the Anbu in the hospital to keep the Hokage and her underlings away from him. That is, if the Anbu dies. Fortunately, his chances of surviving were high. If that was really the case, Danzo did not have anything to worry about. The cursed seal on his tongue would ensure his silence.

What in the world was Sai thinking bringing someone back? And for everyone to see? "Come to think of it," he thought, "he made his first unpredictable decision to disobey me when he failed to assassinate Uchiha Sasuke."

This time should have been different. All memory of his association with Uzumaki Naruto was supposed to be gone. Was Ikioku's technique a failure? He made a mental note to get back the amount he paid the old man. "Just before I kill the braggart," he muttered. Still, Danzo mourned for Sai, in his own way.

Meanwhile, the Anbu who wore the cat mask woke up attached to an IV at Konoha Hospital. "The Hokage herself came to heal your leg," was what the nurse said to him early in the day. He remembered everything that happened-the mission, the barrage of icy shards, the pain when he was hit, the masked Anbu who came back for him. He recalled the bumpy ride on the lion's back. He remembered the resentment he felt toward that Anbu who stole his desire to die when he fell. And yet he felt contrary to his own resolve because he held on - held on tight onto the beast's black and white mane for dear life. He unexpectedly made it back and was right then lying on a hospital bed, alive and safe. His resentment was gone, replaced by relief that he would live to see another day.

He knew what that Anbu looked like without a mask. Eleven years older, he himself was one of those assigned to oversee Sai's early training from the time he entered The Foundation. "He adapted faster than the others," he recalled, noting that the child was naturally reclusive in the first place. He had an innate gift as an artist and Danzo-sama made sure he channeled that talent to good use. "Danzo-sama had a real eye for talent," he thought with sincere admiration.

Danzo-sama. He believed in his master's cause. Believe. Did he really know what he believed in? He was not trained to form an opinion on anything, not to believe but to obey, just like that young Anbu who saved him. Obedience meant everything. But he knew his life was saved as a direct result of disobedience. Was Danzo-sama, in all his wisdom, wrong about the policy of leaving the wounded behind? After all, the fact that he was alive meant he could go on more missions to serve the cause. Dead, he was useless. "If Danzo-sama was wrong about this then...;"

Going further with the idea troubled him so he let his mind stray off to his rescuer instead. "What made him do it?" He certainly would have not done the same thing if their fates were reversed. He knew the young Anbu was assigned to act as a regular shinobi some time ago and only recently recalled to Root. And all of a sudden, he developed the nerve to act on his own.

He was getting tired from all the thinking. He had time to do more of that later. He was alive, and he cherished every second of it. He looked out the window and stared at the clouds.

**Continue to Part 22**


	12. Part 22 to 23 Nameless

**~22~**

Sai was slumped on the floor by the corner of the room near the balcony entrance. He only managed a few steps from outside. The extreme effort he exerted to get down from the roof finally took its toll on him. His body felt like it was made of lead. If the girl made a move to slay him then, he wouldn't have any strength left to counter.

But she didn't show signs of harming him at all. She even helped him to a more comfortable position and gently placed a pillow between his head and the wall. She walked over to a low cabinet by the door and pulled out a wooden box. She kneeled beside him and from the box, took a roll of bandage, a bottle of antiseptic, a pair of scissors and a small clear jar containing cotton balls.

"Our guests hurt themselves sometimes so this is quite handy," she said with a smile. He said nothing. She dabbed Sai's shoulder with antiseptic before slowly peeling off the blood-dried bandage with moist cotton held with scissors. Sai closed his eyes in an effort to dull the extreme pain he felt during the first few minutes of the activity.

"I work here as a stay-in helper," she began as she continued attending to the wound. "Today's my one day off so no one will bother me. My employers are really kind that way. They..." The words trailed off. Helper. Day off. Kind. Her words didn't make sense to him at all. He opened his eyes and turned his attention toward the make of the room. Directly in front of him by the opposite corner was a green futon with a similarly colored blanket lined with white and pink flowers. Beside the futon was a low table; on top were a book and a picture frame holding an image of four people looking out with smiles on their faces.

Next to the table was the door and next to it was the cabinet from where the girl pulled out the medical kit. On the left side of the room was another cabinet, a taller one which, Sai assumed, contained clothing items. Next to it was a desk that held another lamp, more books and some writing implements. That was it, not threatening at all.

Sensing that she had lost Sai's attention, the girl paused. Sai immediately noticed this and so turned his gaze toward her. "Am I talking too much?" she asked. Again he said nothing.

"I read in a book once that talking to the wounded helps take their minds off the pain," she explained. "Maybe it's not working," she said aloud to herself. Finishing the last knot on the bandage, she slapped her hands against her knees. "There," she said. Sai looked at the properly dressed wound.

"Are you a soldier?" she asked. Realizing she would get no reply, she started piling the medical implements back in the box. She stood up and walked toward the cabinet. "My older brother was a soldier," she said almost sadly while opening a drawer. Sai returned his gaze toward the picture frame on the table: a man, a woman, a younger man and a little girl who keenly resembled the girl in the room with him. He guessed the brother she was referring to was the younger man in an Earth Country soldier uniform.

"You look far too young to be a soldier though," she said facing him. "You don't look any older than me, as a matter of fact." She crossed her arms and blurted out, "I know! You're a ninja, aren't you?" Sai stiffened.

"It's okay if you are," she assured noting his tension. "I just heard they train them really young, that's all." Sai relaxed. She walked toward him again and placing his right arm over her shoulder, she helped him rise. She guided him toward her futon and gently lay him down. "You should sleep," she said. The futon felt comfortable beneath him. He dozed off before he knew it.

* * *

><p><em>"Sai is the name I was given for this mission… I'm nobody. I am a tool for Lord Danzo. I don't exist."<em>

Naruto Ch.303 p4 ©Kishimoto Masashi

* * *

><p><strong>23~<strong>

Sai woke up in the dark, still feeling a bit tingly from his bandaged arm. The rest of his body felt somewhat better. He had a good sleep, deep and dreamless. He made an effort to sit up then suddenly felt his stomach rumbling. He realized he was hungry. As his eyes adjusted to the dark, he noticed the girl sitting by the desk at the corner; her head rested on the desk with her folded arms serving as her pillow. She was asleep.

He held on to the table beside him as he struggled to get up. He fell back, his hand knocking the picture frame down that made a soft flopping sound. "Oh you're awake," the girl said as she rubbed her eyes. "Are you feeling better?" she asked while turning on the lamp on the desk. He felt obliged to give her a quick nod. "Good," she said. "You must be hungry. Wait here, okay?" She stood up and headed out of the room for a moment then came back a while later with a tray of food: a bowl of rice, three small broiled fish, pickled white radish and miso soup. "I don't know how long since you've eaten, but if it's been over a day, you can't eat too much at first," she warned. He knew that much, he thought, taking a sip of miso soup.

After his meal, he rested his back on the wall and watched the girl as she took up the tray and headed out. She came back with a towel and a toothbrush. "It's a good thing you ended up in an inn, eh?" she said with a grin. "There's a washroom just outside if you need it. It's past midnight so no one will see you as long as you keep quiet. I can help you walk." She seemed to have thought of everything that Sai was starting to get suspicious again. Do people really act this way? All his life, he was taught that people from other nations were evil and posed a threat to his country. Is this supposed to be threatening?

He got up slowly, signaling to the girl that he did not need any aid. He made his way for the washroom according to the girl's directions. An image flashed across his mind when he saw his reflection in the mirror by the sink; that of Lord Hisamegoro's facial reaction when Sai's sword entered his belly. He blinked and with his unimpaired hand started wiping blood and dirt off his face and skin.

He came back to the bedroom after thirty minutes feeling more refreshed. The girl smiled at him when he entered. He noticed that she had replaced the green blanket that got stained with his own blood. He felt somewhat embarrassed because of it but not quite sure how he could make amends.

He walked over to where the balcony was but he did not go out. He just stood by the entryway peering out at the darkness. He knew he had to recover soon and get back to Konoha. He faced the girl and wondered why she was helping him. He no longer felt suspicious. In fact, he felt warm inside, warmer than he ever felt in his life.

"What's your name?" she asked. Sai gazed back at the darkness outside.

"You do have a name don't you? She asked again. He faced her again and shook his head.

"Aw alright. If you don't want to tell me then it can't be helped." She pointed a forefinger at herself and said, "I'm Tsugumi." Sai nodded to show his understanding.

"Do you know what a tsugumi is?" She asked. Sai looked around then pointed at a small white fabric lying on her desk.

"That's not what a tsugumi is. I'm going to sew the edges later and turn it into a wiping cloth."

Sai walked over to the desk, took out his scroll and pulled out the brush and ink from its compartment. He had little ink left into which he dipped his brush. With amazing speed, he created a picture on the white cloth. Tsugumi approached the desk and saw a single thrush perched on a leafy branch daintily drawn on what could have been her wiping cloth. "That's right," she said in astonishment. "That's a tsugumi. How did you do that so fast? It's beautiful!"

Sai felt warmer for the compliment but he said nothing.

**Continue to Part 24**


	13. Part 24 to 25 Homecoming

**~24~**

The fourth member of the assassination squad, the Anbu with the fox mask knelt before Danzo at that moment.

"So you've returned," Danzo said. "I'm glad. Tell me what happened."

The Anbu proceeded to relate the initial details of the mission but Danzo interrupted. "I already know Hisamegoro is dead. I don't need to hear anything more about it right now. Tell me what became of your team members."

"Our leader is dead. Our senpai (senior) was hit during retreat and is surely dead as well."

Danzo frowned. The Anbu didn't know anything. "And what of the younger?"

"He got us out of Hisamegoro's mansion on top of a giant bird but we were shot down. We had to make our way on foot and got separated after senpai went down. I saw that he was wounded. I'm not sure how seriously."

"Why did it take you this long to return?"

"There were two Hail shinobi after us. I created three clones to confuse the trail. One shinobi chased after my clone as far as the Northeast Ocean within Earth Country territory. But the other one caught up with me just before I was able to cross Waterfall Country."

"So the shinobi after you was defeated, I presume."

"Yes sir, he used up a lot of chakra with his offensive attack. I was able to recover mine after a while."

"That's fine," Danzo said. "Submit a full report later. You may take your leave."

The Anbu bowed and disappeared.

"So there's a chance he's still alive," Danzo thought. He felt slightly relieved about this. His investment may still be safe. But Sai's recent actions still disturbed him. He will have to call Ikioku back to explain himself.

oOoOoOoOo

Tsunade went to the hospital to see the wounded Anbu two days after he regained consciousness. She forbade Naruto and the rest to go there as she knew it would invite attention and more conflict with Danzo.

"I was told you healed my leg. Thank you, Hokage-sama," the Anbu said, realizing that it was the first time he sincerely said the word 'thank you' to anybody. Tsunade nodded.

"Are you feeling well?"

"Yes, Hokage-sama."

"Do you know who brought you here?"

There it was. Danzo-sama had warned him he was going to be interrogated like this. His master reminded him of his oath and the consequences if he broke it.

"It was a fellow Anbu," was his careful reply.

"Don't worry," Tsunade assured. I will not ask you about your mission. I just wanted to ask a little about the Anbu who saved you. You see, I believe he was the one assigned to Hatake Kakashi's team until recently. We called him Sai. His teammates and all his other friends are concerned about him." Tsunade wondered what impact the word "friend" had on a Root shinobi. Surely even they have a slight concept of the word. The anbu was quiet, staring blankly across the room. Then he spoke. "I'm sorry. I don't know what became of him."

Tsunade nodded. "I understand." Then she left.

The Hokage turned out to be less intimidating than he expected. He had painted a horrible image of her based on Danzo-sama's description. She induced no fear in him at all. And what of the young Anbu? 'Sai' they called him. His friends were concerned about him, she said. Did this account for his own life being saved?

He honestly did not know what became of Sai who, he knew, was wounded himself. But even if he did, he was sure he would not divulge anything because of the cursed seal. No, it was not cowardice. He just decided he was not about to give away his life so simply and waste Sai's sacrifice. He owed him that much. He would not die until he found out what the truth was. He suddenly had the urge not just to obey but to actually believe in something.

**~25~**

Atop a large branch by the edge of the forest, Sai stood looking at the rear gate of Konohagakuren from outside. Four days had passed since he met Tsugumi at the balcony of an inn. And then, Konoha was within his line of sight. He wondered what became of the cat-masked Anbu he sent back. It would be too bad if the man died. He knew he would be punished for disobeying orders; he at least wanted something good to come out of it. But then he thought back to the inn way back in Earth Country and decided that perhaps, something did.

Tsugumi talked about things that fascinated him, stories about her family and her friends. The sadness she felt when her brother died. He thought about his own feelings when his own brother passed away. He couldn't remember, but it was probably the same. People are the same. Different, yet the same, whatever nation they hail from. They may talk differently, eat differently or do other things differently, but essentially, they are the same. Things like family and friends, love and kindness, everyone longs for them. That's what Tsugumi said and maybe she was right.

The girl tended to his wound everyday, coming to see him between her breaks to make sure he was comfortable. She laid out an extra futon for him when he refused to take hers for the second time. She talked about many things. He probably heard more words from her in four days than he did from everyone else combined in his entire life. When she was away, he spent his time reading her books. They were storybooks about relationships that he couldn't relate to at all. At night, she would speak to him some more. He mostly just nodded to show his understanding. He was able to learn to tell the difference between sadness and happiness from her expressions. He could also somehow recognize if she was frustrated or embarrassed.

Tsugumi was the daughter of farmers from the far country. His brother died when his arm was hit with a poisoned dart during an encounter with local rebels. His body was recovered outside a chicken farm just across the next town. "Nobody even tried to help him," she lamented. But then she smiled as she said "He taught me to always be kind to others. He always wore a smile and it made people smile back so I thought I'd do the same. Maybe one day, I'll see you smile, yes?"

On the third day of his stay at the inn, Sai knew he was strong enough to leave but was reluctant to so he stayed another day. On the fourth day, his sense of obligation won him over. And so right then, on top of a tree branch by the edge of the forest, Sai slipped his Anbu mask over his face. He jumped off and headed for the gate, ready to face any consequence his action entailed.

He hadn't even gone out of the forest when ten Anbu surrounded him. "Come with us," one of them said. Sai had no intention to resist but there was something odd about his welcoming party; they're not from Root. They were Anbu answering to the Hokage. Sai was teeming with renewed chakra after a few days' rest but he was out of special ink. He could fight with his sword if it became necessary. But why would he fight? He knew he was going to be punished upon his return. Maybe the Hokage would deal out his sentence. Did something happen to Danzo-sama, he wondered.

**Continue to Part 26**


	14. Part 26 to 27 Lost

**~26~**

Naruto and Sakura stood inside Tsunade's office with dumbfounded expressions on their faces. The rest of their friends would be equally shocked once they hear the news. _Sai is dead_.

Danzo, who was standing before them, relayed the news himself. Tsunade was behind her desk with arms folded. Shizune was standing behind her. It was as they feared after all.

"Another shinobi who was with Sai just returned to headquarters. He saw him get killed," Danzo said.

Naruto buried his hand in his pants pocket forming what seemed like a clenched fist from outside. "If you hadn't taken him back..."

"What, child?" Danzo asked sternly. "Would he have lived? For how long? He is a shinobi just like you are." Naruto held back. Sakura was crying behind him. Danzo was disgusted with their behavior. They were supposed to be trained ninjas and they shamelessly show tears.

"He was a fine shinobi," Tsunade said somberly.

Right then, an Anbu appeared. Finding a bunch of people in the Hokage's office, he approached Tsunade and whispered in her ear. Tsunade's eyes widened as she turned her face to look at Danzo. She whispered her orders to the Anbu before he disappeared.

"I felt obliged to be the one to tell you," Danzo said. "It's a great loss to all of us." He said then headed for the exit.

"Wait, Danzo-san," Tsunade said. Danzo turned around. "You may want to wait a little," she said. Danzo's eyebrows furrowed. "I'm a busy man, Tsunade-hime."

A knock on the door, then it slid open revealing two Anbu from the regular unit; between them stood Sai. Everyone in the office couldn't believe what they were seeing.

"Sai!" Naruto exclaimed. Sakura cupped her hand to her mouth. "Sai, it is you, right?" she asked. Sai still had his Anbu mask on but his form and outfit were identifiable.

"Come in," Tsunade said motioning with her hand for the newcomer to enter.

He did not know why they were calling him Sai or if it was actually him they were addressing. He immediately spotted Danzo inside so he let himself be led in by the two Anbu who took him there.

Danzo was at a loss. Did Sai's memory return? Ikioku, who was in his chamber right at that moment, assured him that the procedure was a success. He had stationed Root shinobi by the wall to watch out for Sai's return. How did he get passed the sentries?

"Take off your mask," Tsunade ordered. Sai looked at Danzo who nodded his consent. He took off the mask.

"Sai! It is you!" Naruto was about to jump at him but he dodged jumping far back to the wall.

"Why are you being so cold for? Everyone was worried about you, you know?" Naruto said quite surprised at Sai's reaction. "What's wrong, Sai?" Sakura asked. The others were equally curious.

Both Tsunade and Danzo were analyzing the scene. Danzo figured Sai's memory was still absent. Tsunade looked at Danzo, then at Sai. "Do you know who these people are?" she asked Sai as she pointed to Naruto and Sakura. "Yes," Sai said not taking his eyes off Naruto who stared back at him.

**~27~**

"Who are they, can you tell me?" Tsunade asked. She seemed to have caught on, Danzo realized. He had to think fast.

"Uzumaki Naruto," Sai answered. "Age 16, a genin, member of Team 7 under jounin Hatake Kakashi. He's a jinchuuriki, the human vessel of the nine-tailed fox.." The young ninjas gaped at the textbook description of Naruto. Sai proceeded to cite Sakura's profile. Everyone looked at Danzo in disbelief.

"What's wrong with him?" Sakura asked.

"What did you do to him?" Naruto demanded springing forward. Sai leaped between him and Danzo, his hand reaching for his short sword. Naruto stopped in his tracks.

"Danzo-sama," Sai said. "What is your command?" His hand was still resting on the hilt of his tanto though he did not draw it out.

"Stand down," Danzo ordered behind him. Sai released his grasp on the sword but he remained between his master and Naruto.

"Naruto!" Tsunade shouted. "Get a hold of yourself!" Naruto gritted his teeth.

"Danzo-san," Tsunade began."I don't know what's going on but will you allow us to ask Sai a few questions?"

Danzo considered if this was as an opportunity to end the fiasco. If he ordered Sai to start revealing even a small thing about Root, he would surely obey. His action just then proved that. He will go into paralysis and be taken back to Headquarters first. It was a risky option, especially with Tsunade present. She was not only the Hokage but also a very skillful medical ninja. Besides, he did not want Sai or any of his subordinates to end up that way.

On the other hand, what harm could it possibly do for him to answer some questions? He doesn't know anything. And he, Danzo, could make up innumerable explanations for his current condition and Sai would not contradict him. "Of course, you may ask him what you want," he said.

"Sai, don't you remember us?" Naruto asked. Sai didn't understand the question. What was he supposed to remember?

"I will ask a question," Tsunade said with authority and turning to Sai, she asked, "Is there anything you want to know?" Danzo's nerves faltered. Of all the questions...

Sai looked at Naruto then at Sakura. "Why do you keep calling me Sai?"

"That's your name," Sakura answered. "You're a member of our team, don't you remember?"

Sai was confused. Or maybe they were. _Wait._ Wasn't he told he lost a year of his memory? They said it was a failed mission outside the country. What did it have to do with these two? "I have no association with the jinchuuriki," he declared. Danzo was pleased.

"Oh yeah?" Naruto said. "Then why do I have this?" He fished out something from his pocket, the thing he held on to earlier when he learned Sai was dead. It was Sai's picture book.

**Continue to Part 28**


	15. Part 28 to 29 Interception

**~28~**

"Why do you have that?" Sai asked, overwhelmed at seeing his precious picture book again. "So you remember what this is, huh?" Naruto said. Sai's face turned to Danzo, not sure of what to do.

One random thing had occurred after another. "That is enough!" Danzo finally said.

Tsunade raised an eyebrow. "As you can see, Sai has a very serious condition. He has lost his memory of the past year. He is my direct responsibility and I am doing what I can for him."

"Why did you tell us he was dead? Tsunade asked.

"I am not obligated to answer accusatory questions, Tsunade-hime. Nevertheless, I will, for all your sake," Danzo replied with obvious indignation. "If, by chance, he does not regain his memory, association with the villagers will only serve to confuse him further. He is a trained shinobi under Root and it will be to the country's detriment if he becomes ineffective in his missionary functions."

Tsunade almost gagged at Danzo's attempt to appear noble with his reasoning. Plus, he called the rest of them 'villagers' as if ninjas from the regular units were beneath Root's own.

"Such emotional outbursts," Danzo added, pointing at Naruto and Sakura, "prove the validity of my concern." Naruto and Sakura did their very best not to explode.

"Tsunade-hime," Danzo began again. "Please advise these young ones that I have sole discretion when it comes to my own subordinates. This is the end of the matter. We shall take our leave." And with that, he motioned to Sai to follow him to the exit. Sai obeyed.

"Wait," Naruto said as Sai was walking past him. He held out the picture book in his hand. Sai stopped. He wanted to take it back more than anything. But Danzo-sama didn't know he had it in the first place. He wasn't supposed to have any possessions. He was sure it was going to get confiscated later. He looked at Naruto and decided the book might be safer with him for a while. He walked away, leaving Naruto still holding out his arm, picture book in hand.

"Danzo-sama," Tsunade called out as Danzo reached the door. He stopped without turning around. "I am a medical ninja," Tsunade began. "Better than most, I am told. Won't you let me try and help with Sai's condition?"

"It's very kind of you to offer, Tsunade-hime," Danzo said. "But isn't that another attempt to interfere with something that you have no authority over?"

"Of course not," was Tsunade's quick reply. "I merely want to do what I can to help. I will not permit anyone to question Sai any further. Nor will anyone answer his questions."

Danzo doubted this very much. However, he was fully aware how suspicious he seemed at that moment. Further discredit with the Hokage would only serve to be a disadvantage. If he couldn't prevent others from questioning Sai, he could just order him not to ask anymore questions and forbid him to answer anything they ask. Ikioku assured that the memory seal was untraceable so there was little harm in playing with these fools for just a little while longer. "Very well," he finally said. "However, I can only permit half a day for you by tomorrow, and no more. We have our own means in Root. If you cannot do anything within that time, you have to promise that the matter will be closed."

Naruto and Sakura turned to Tsunade for some assurance. She stayed silent for a moment, her mind racing. "Agreed," she finally said. Danzo continued his exit with Sai at his tail.

Outside Tsunade's office, a row of people stood by the wall of the hallway, watching as Danzo passed by. Sai saw them but gave no acknowledgement. Shikamaru, Chouji, Ino, Hinata, Kiba and Shino were not surprised by this as they were listening in at what just transpired inside. They came straight over when they heard Sai was picked up by the Anbu.

"Byakugan," Hinata thought quietly, activating her technique aimed at Sai.

**~29~**

"Tsunade-shishiou, is half a day really enough?" Sakura asked addressing Tsunade as an apprentice would a teacher.

"Not really," Tsunade answered. "But it's half a day or nothing."

The young ninjas in the hall joined them. "What if he does something to Sai before tomorrow," Naruto asked still holding the picture book.

"Danzo will not do anything now that will invite serious investigation. I think Sai's life is safe, at least," Tsunade assured.

"I'm amazed the Anbu got hold of Sai before Root did. That's the Hokage for ya," Kiba exclaimed.

"It wasn't me," Tsunade admitted. "Judging from which Anbu brought Sai in here, I'd say Kakashi had something to do with it," she said turning her attention to the two Anbu who were still in the room.

"Before he went on a mission, Kakashi-senpai asked us to intercept Sai within the parameter of the forest, a few kilometers ahead of Root Anbu who were manning the wall," one of them explained.

"That's Kakashi-sensei for ya," Kiba said this time.

"Uhm..." Hinata stammered. "I checked Sai's chakra flow and it seemed normal. What do you suppose is wrong with him?" Everyone had been wondering the same thing.

"By the looks of it, Sai is not likely to cooperate with us willingly," Sakura lamented.

"I may have a plan," Shikamaru said. "So do I," Tsunade replied. "Let's combine ideas and see what we come up with." Shikamaru nodded.

oOoOoOoOo

Danzo was walking along intersecting bridges en route to Root's headquarters. Sai kept his pace behind his master. It was the place where Danzo informed Sai he was to be assigned to Team 7 a year before.

"You now know that your failed mission involved the jinchuuriki," he began as he kept on walking. Sai had his mind on his picture book. Danzo stopped and turned to face him. "The past no longer matters," he said. "Konoha's future is Root's priority, do you still believe this?"

"Hai," Sai replied.

"Tomorrow, you shall go to the Hokage and let her perform her examination as she pleases. They may tell you things that might confuse you. Don't believe them. I will explain the details of your lost memory when you return. Tell them nothing, ask them nothing. Is that clear?"

"Hai," Sai said again.

"Good. Proceed to your chamber from here. I expect a full report about your last mission by tomorrow afternoon." Sai bowed.

Danzo walked away but then stopped. "Is your wound healed?" he said not turning around. Sai's gaze turned to his bandaged shoulder. "Hai," he replied remembering something pleasant.

"I'm glad," Danzo said attempting to exhibit a kind of fatherly concern for the first time in his life. He walked on.

Sai raised his head and followed Danzo with his eyes. His emotions were tangled deep within him. This was not quite what he expected upon his return.

**Continue to Part 30**


	16. Part 30 to 31 Revelations

**~30~**

According to Danzo and Tsunade's agreement, Sai was to report to Konoha's research facility the next morning. He was to be examined by Tsunade and one assistant while Root representatives would be allowed to observe from outside. Danzo took no chances despite giving Sai his orders.

Sai entered the compound with two Root Anbu and they were led by a research staff member to a laboratory room with a large square glass window overlooking the hallway. He was asked to enter while the Anbu remained outside. The two proceeded to the hallway about three meters from the window where they can monitor the examination.

Tsunade was already inside along with an assistant. Sai was seen as he approached Tsunade who asked him to take a seat on a narrow clinic-style bed. Tsunade and her assistant proceeded with routine medical examinations. Sai responded with neither emotion nor enthusiasm. This was what the two Root Anbu witnessed for the remainder of the half day allowed by their master.

But things were not what they seem. In another location early that morning, Sai sat unconscious, strapped on an oversized mechanical seat. Tsunade had prepared a powerful sleep-inducing drug which knocked Sai out immediately after the door of the initial room closed behind him. He had no time to react.

The two Root Anbu did not witness Sai being carried by Naruto and Shikamaru through a secret door that led directly to the next room and out a passageway leading to a large cavernous chamber where Tsunade herself was waiting, along with Sakura, Ino, and Hinata. Chouji stood guard by the entrance outside. Kiba and his faithful canine partner Akamaru, were positioned on opposite sides. Neji was guarding the entire parameter from the rear.

Back at the laboratory room being observed by the Anbu, Tenten, who morphed as Tsunade, continued to perform fake tests on a fake Sai, played by a morphed Shino. Rock Lee, in complete lab uniform with a white mask over his mouth and cap over his head acted as the medical assistant.

The group in the large chamber waited anxiously. They had only a few hours, yet they were still unsure of what their bold actions would lead to. A minute later, the sliding door opened revealing a figure who would serve as their last and only hope. Yamanaka Inoichi.

"Good morning, father," greeted Ino.

Tsunade acknowledged his arrival then said, "I made initial tests but couldn't find anything."

I'll do what I can," Inoichi promised. He approached Sai and placed his right hand on the unconscious ninja's head.

Everyone stood watching Inoichi's face. He looked disturbed with his eyes closed and the gap between his brows contorted. A few minutes later, he released his hand and addressed the group. "It's hard to explain, he began. "There are large black spaces in his memory. There are images of events that seem to have occurred in recent weeks but it's..." Inoichi tried to search for a proper word. "It's 'thick'."

"What do you mean?" Tsunade asked.

"It's like, it's layered, on top of something," he answered, not quite sure if it's the right term. Everyone was lost with the description.

"I guess we can assume that the black spaces are his memories of us," Sakura offered.

Shikamaru nodded then said, "I'm not sure if we can pry too much into Sai's private memory of recent weeks but I'm interested to know what happened between the time he disappeared and the time he lost his memory. That would begin around the 19th of last month."

Tsunade turned to Inoichi, "Can you try and trace to that point?"

"Inoichi-san", Shikamaru said. "Maybe you can start from the time his current visible memory appeared," he suggested.

Inoichi pondered on this for a while. "I'll try. I'll need some assistance from my friend here, pointing to a gigantic device in the middle of the chamber.

**~31~**

Inoichi pulled out a metal headgear attached to translucent sensory cables connected to the huge device. He placed his hand back on Sai's head and concentrated. The group nervously waited keenly aware of the time. An hour had passed since Sai's fake examination started in another room. They had less than four hours left.

Another hour had gone by quickly. At last, Inoichi spoke after what seemed like forever.

"I think I found something. I think..." He paused. "I think I can get in between the layers." Nobody understood what he was talking about but it sounded promising. "There it is," he said again. Then he opened his eyes. "It's Danzo."

Inoichi faced Tsunade after a moment. "Hokage-sama, I think you may want to see this for yourself."

"I see," Tsunade nodded in understanding. She scanned the young ninjas present then settled on Shikamaru. "I'll need you."

"Huh?" a surprised Shikamaru uttered.

"Unfortunately, you're father is not available so you will have to do," she said motioning for him to come over. Shikamaru obeyed.

"As you know," Tsunade started, noting Shikamaru's bewildered expression. "Your father has the *ability to transfer telepathic messages to others in partnership with Inoichi-san^ here." Shikamaru nodded.

"He can also transfer direct images," Tsunade revealed. The others were impressed.

"But," Shikamaru interrupted, "I can't do that yet."

"Of course you can," Tsunade assured. "It's in your blood," she added leading him toward Inoichi. "You don't even have to do anything. Of course, you may not have the ability to send out images through the air yet so I'll have to hold on to your head."

Inoichi motioned for Shikamaru to kneel down. He placed his left hand on the young ninja's head. Tsunade did the same. Shikamaru felt kind of awkward.

"I want to see too!" Naruto demanded.

"So do I," Sakura said.

"Me too," Ino said.

"Uhm," Hinata began. "May I also...?"

"You've got to be kidding!" Shikamaru protested. But Tsunade gave her consent and so everyone placed one hand on his head. "This is troublesome!"

Inoichi placed his right hand on Sai's head again and everyone's mind traveled fast into a sea of black. Then an image of Sai's apartment, a Root shinobi appeared informing him he was being summoned by Danzo. Flash. Danzo appeared.

_"You are to return to Root to perform black op missions just as you have done before."_

_"Hai!"_

_"Lift your head."_

Chakra wires came from opposite sides pulling Sai's wrists back.

_"Why did you betray me?"_

The events played according to how it happened and they were witnessing it through Sai's eyes.

_"Sai, you like that name, don't you? But it's not your name. You have no name. You are...,_"_ _Danzo's tirade went on. Then_, "eliminate Uzumaki Naruto."_

Naruto flinched, his eyes still closed.

_"But...didn't you want Naruto protected, Danzo-sama?"_

_"The jinchuuriki is no longer valuable to the safety of the country..."_

_"Forgive me; I cannot do as you ask."_

_"... There are a few other subjects who are contributing to the degradation of Konoha's morals. Choose any one of those and consider yourself redeemed."_

_"Haruno Sakura, Nara Shikamaru, Akimichi Chouji..."_

The ninjas gathered saw their own names on the list.

_"I'm sorry,"_ they heard Sai say.

_"It's too bad, young one. I had placed great value in your abilities but you exercise poor judgment. None of those you consider friends care about you or your whereabouts."_

Right then, Hinata pulled out her hand from Shikamaru's head. But she already saw it. The wires cutting through Sai's wrists. She glanced at everyone else, still with eyes closed but with pained expressions on their faces. She forced herself to put her hand back on.

Sai was on the floor staring at the wall. His left arm visible from the way he lay, handless. Blood was gushing out. Then, flashing images. Sai was remembering things from his past. Smiling faces. Their faces. Their clowning around, their missions, their hardships, their victories. Then darkness.

**Continue to Part 32**


	17. Part 32 to 33 Restoration

**~32~**

Tsunade was marching toward Root Headquarters that very moment. A Hokage never looked as fearsome as when she burst open the door. Root guards were at a loss on whether to restrain her or let her pass. One look at her flaming eyes and the choice was easy.

"You ordered to have Leaf ninjas assassinated!" she barked at Danzo after making her way to his office.

"I did not," he said calmly. "It was all a test to see where the boy's allegiance lay."

The fact that Sai still had his hands attached to his arm told her he was under the power of genjutsu but the experience to him was real. "Ninjas are human beings!" Tsunade fumed. "They are not toys that you can play with!"

"I am thinking only of the future of Konoha!" Danzo insisted.

These people are the future of Konoha!" Tsunade barked.

"That remains to be seen," Danzo retorted.

Tsunade was hyper-ventilating. She knew she had to stay calm. Inoichi said he had no way to restore Sai's memory. At that point, only Danzo can show her how to do it. After a brief pause, she spoke under her breath.

"If you do not show me how to restore Sai's memory, I will expose you to the elders and to the entire village!" Danzo was speechless.

Just before Tsunade left Danzo's office, she imparted to him her final words.

"I will close this matter only out of respect for the late Sarutobi-sensei who considered you his friend. But I warn you, never mess around with my people again!" Then she left.

An hour later, Tsunade came back to the research facility where everyone was waiting. The door slid open and she entered, behind her followed Ikioku of the Owl Country.

Ikioku was not pleased. Danzo had demanded he get his money back. He had no choice but to oblige simply because the hidden memory was traced contrary to his guarantee. And then he was ordered to remove the seal for free. "The Yamanakas," he grumbled within himself. "It seems my clan is not the only one that has made improvements over the years."

He glanced over the people in the room then spoke. "All that he's experienced after the time I placed the seal are located above his hidden memory. If I remove the seal, that new memory will disappear permanently," Ikioku explained having the urge to show off a little since he spotted Yamanaka Inoichi in the room. The rest finally understood what Inoichi meant when he said Sai's memory was 'layered.'

No one really cared about the new memory Sai gained over the past few weeks. That of the one year obviously weighed more. But then Ino realized something. "The sealed memory included Danzo's genjutsu, doesn't it?" she asked.

"That is correct," Ikioku replied making like an instructor answering a student's query.

"It is a part of his old memory. The new memory started when he woke up after." Everyone was disturbed by this.

"As much as I'd like for him to remember what Danzo is really like, I don't really want him to go through that horrible thing again," Sakura said pertaining to the torture and fake death. Everyone nodded in agreement.

"So you wish to have that part of the memory removed, I presume." Ikioku said then studied their expressions. "Very well. But you see. I don't work for free."

"You are pushing your luck, Ikioku," Tsunade warned.

"Oh but I believe I have a right to speak, Hokage-sama," Ikioku contested. "I was requested by Danzo-sama to remove the seal which he paid for. I will dutifully do so to honor our contract. But here you are asking me to take something out of the subject's head. You are all making a decision in someone else's behalf without his knowledge or approval. Who then has the right to preach to me about this matter?"

Everyone was silenced. Ikioku was right. They were struggling within themselves if they had any right to meddle with another human's consciousness like they intended.

"But," Naruto started, "he shouldn't have gone through all that in the first place."

"That's right," Sakura agreed. "He's a member of our team now. He no longer belongs with Root."

Ino repressed a tear. "He shouldn't remember. We didn't actually feel what it was like to go through that but just watching it happen, I almost felt it. I can't bear for him to remember."

"It's enough," Hinata said. "It's enough that we know what he'll go through for us."

Everyone else nodded. Perhaps they were all being selfish. They were no worse than Danzo on that point, they realized.

Shikamaru turned to Ikioku. "How much does it cost?"

"A hundred thousand ryo," was Ikioku's immediate reply, sensing a chance to regain his lost earnings.

**~33~**

A hundred thousand ryo. None of them had even a small fraction of that amount. A bead of sweat appeared on Tsunade's forehead. She was still heavily in debt to begin with. The village treasury was certainly off-limits for such kind of service.

"I have this much," Naruto said without hesitation. He emptied his frog-shaped wallet on Tsunade's desk. A few crumbled bills and a handful of coins. "I'll earn more with my missions pay," he declared.

Shikamaru dug deep in his pocket, "this is it for now, but I think I can get a loan from my dad."

Everyone simultaneously searched their own possession for whatever they can contribute.

"I'll also pledge my mission earnings," Sakura said.

"Me too," Ino seconded. "Me too," said the rest. "Us too," shouted Kiba from outside.

Tsunade stared at the amount on the desk. Gambling experience made her adept in estimating cash on the table. It was about 2,000 ryo. It would probably take at least a year's pay for each of them to come up with the shortage. Tsunade glanced at Ikioku. His face was contorted in a frown. "Is that the answer?" he blurted out almost to himself. Everyone's hope dimmed.

"Memory is a very intricate part of a human being," he started. His audience felt they did not need to hear him preach to them about the subject yet he continued. "I have spent my whole life studying innumerable chambers of that world and discovered that, despite its complexities, it can be manipulated with my powers."

"But this," he said extending his open palm as if to present the young ones in front of him. "This demonstration of what you probably call friendship, or loyalty, or this thing called love...it seems to be something that encompasses memory. And perhaps the reason I could not control certain uncharacteristic decisions people make even after manipulating their minds. I realize now that such things are implanted not on the brain but within one's whole being. The human brain is something completely detached from what makes up the human soul."

"I lose," he declared. "You will have your wish, free of charge."

**Continue to Part 34**


	18. Part 34 Celebration

**~34~**

Three hours before sunrise. It should be another hour before he must wake up but Sai rose up from his bed sensing something alien inside his apartment. The sight of a shinobi from Root would not surprise him. One would come at any give time to relay instructions from Danzo-sama.

"Boo!" It was Naruto jumping at him from the window.

"What are you doing here?"

"Well you see, the others were talking and decided it's a good time to go for yakiniku (barbeque)."

"At two in the morning?"

"Yeah sure. Everyone's up for a celebration."

"Celebration for what?"

"Uhm...Friendship."

Sai exited his apartment first. Naruto followed but as he did, he glanced back at Sai's room. A month earlier he visited this room and found Sai gone. All his belongings were gone. No framed artwork on the wall, no brushes, no scrolls. He tried to search around for clues and so led him to raise the mattress. And there it was, the picture book, the one possession he knew Sai cherished. It turned out that the Root Anbu assigned to clear out the room had no concept of possession or sentiments and so didn't consider that Sai would hide something under his bed. Maybe it was a stroke of luck. Or maybe, it was fate.

The gang was already gathered when Sai and Naruto arrived. Sakura was there. Shikamaru, Chouji and Ino of Team 10 were there; Team 8's Kiba, Shino and Hinata too. Neji from Team Gai was there along with Tenten and Rock Lee, who were whispering and giggling about something at Shino's expense. Shino frowned as he remembered how uncomfortable he felt getting probed by the two when he posed as Sai for 5 long hours in the laboratory room.

Sai was a little perplexed at the scene. Was it normal for people to wake up at two in the morning and have yakiniku? He should find a book about that. Everyone, particularly Ino, was unusually attentive, he noted. By 5AM everyone was still celebrating.

Right then, Sai noticed something odd on the wall near the bar. "Owner-san," he said. "I believe your calendar is off by a month." Everyone's heart skipped a beat as they looked at him. That's right, he just lost a month of his memory. In all the day's excitement, they forgot to make up an explanation for the gap. Tsunade had the sense to completely heal Sai's wounded arm and bruises that they left no trace but apparently, she also neglected the part of the missing memory.

"Uhm," Sakura began. "About that. Uhm...;" Everyone else stammered.

"Planning war strategies is easier than this," Shikamaru thought. "How troublesome!"

Sai wondered why they were acting that way.

"Oh you're right," the owner of the barbeque place said scratching his head. All eyes turned to him. He ripped the calendar page to show the next month. It was indeed off, in this case, late by one month. They studied Sai's reaction. He nodded to the owner then went to focus on his food.

"Do you know what day it is?" Naruto asked.

"Yes," Sai replied. "it's the 20th of October." He was right. But what of the lost memory?

"What were you doing the past month?" Shikamaru asked carefully.

Sai looked at him a bit confused. "Don't you remember?" he asked then he looked at all of them.

"We were on vacation together. We went to the hot springs."

It was Ikioku's surprise parting gift.

**End**

* * *

><p><strong>Epilogue<strong>

In a local inn situated on a small town near the edge of Earth Country, a girl stood by the balcony staring at a piece of square white cloth in her hand. On it was drawn a single thrush perched atop a leafy branch. Tsugumi stared far ahead off to the western border thinking about the artist who drew the picture with graceful strokes the night she first met him. She recalled his face when he said the only words she heard him speak before he left.

_"When __I __come __back, __I'll __make __it __fly."_ And he smiled.

* * *

><p>~*~Thank you for reading...~*~<p>

All fictional names and characters except for Ikioku, Hisamegoro, Hail shinobi and Tsugumi

belong to © Kishimoto Masashi.

The fictional countries described except for Hail and Owl Countries belong to © Kishimoto Masashi

This is only fiction. Don't ever let strange people in your room

(unless they're ninja, preferably with a midriff outfit. J/K!)

* * *

><p>Author's Notes:<p>

For anyone who cares to know:

Ikioku is taken from the Japanese word "Kioku" which means "memory" so Ikioku can literally be translated as "One Memory"

Hisamegoro is from Hisame which means "hail".

Tsugumi, of course, means "thrush" or more specifically Nauman's Thrush which I found on Wiki while searching for a good girl name.

Speaking of Tsugumi, I had not originally planned on adding an original girl character but when I got Sai wounded and stuck on a roof, I was stumped on how to get him back home. That's where she came. Ah well, the rest of my notes, along with this story are posted on deviantart. Here's the link: **yui1**dot**deviantart**dot**com/journal/Fanfic-1-Without-A-Name-Notes-26431714 1** (replace 'dot' with '.' and remove space between 4 and 1 ) Some parts are also accompanied by my artwork there if you care to see them. That's where I first posted the story in parts while I was still writing it. I've done some editing since.


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